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Mission
The "G.T. Kirileanu" Neamtz County Public Library co-ordinates
the activity of the public libraries of our county and furthers
the Piatra-Neamtz Municipality and Neamtz county inhabitants
interests in reading, study, information, education and recreation.
The services provide undiscriminated access both to its oron
resources (collections and databases) and other sources of information
accessible to it from the outside.
To accomplish its fundamental mission, the library constitutes,
processes, organizes, preserves, develops and scientifically
valorizes, in conformity with the budget and the user's interests,
documents (books, periodicals and other information providers)
in all the domains of knowledge and of different formats and
system of information storage.
History
The "G.T. Kirileanu" Neamtz County Public Library is
the continuer of an old tradition in public reading (more than
130 years old). Constantin Turcu (1903-1980, teacher, publisher
and secretary of the "Petru Rares" Secondary School from Piatra
Neamt) evokes the year 1869 and the loan registry book of the
library of Neamtz Society for Romanian People Education.
The proper history of our library begins in 1935 when just back
to the native region, the scholar Gh. Teodorescu-Kirileanu materializes
his desire of settling down in Piatra-Neamtz together with his
whole treasure of manuscripts, books and periodicals. Therefore,
he bought a plot of land and built a house then 25 Stefan cel
Mare Street - today, 27 Stefan cel Mare Street) where he died
(on the 13-th of November 1960).
The library officially became public in 1956, accordingly to
the act of donation of 24-th February 1956, when G.T. Kirileanu
founded in his house a documentary library for "people opening
mind". In fact, his library had the same quality from the very
beginning, when the scholar established himself in Piatra Neamt.
Thanks to its owner's exemplary generosity, it was accessible
to many readers interested in the cultural and historical past.
Many of G.T. Kirileanu's manuscripts (documents and correspondence)
have been taken over by the Academy's Library in 1960, to protect
them from the "special interest" of Security Services. Between
1948 and 1956, the political and social context was hostile
to the former librarian of the Royal Palace and troubled the
last years of his life, cousing him a bad mord and material
condition.
In the fisties, too, thanks to a central and territorial reorganization
of the Romanian public libraries, an urban public library has
been founded in Piatra-Neamt. First its residence was established
next to the past Book Shop No. 1 (today, the "Ceahlau" Restaurant),
and later in a house on 5 Stefan cel Mare Street (today the
Neamtz Accounts and Financial Control Services).
At the begining of 1968, a new territorial - administrative
reorganization in Romania led to the abolition of the tipical
Soviet region and districts. So Piatra Neamt became the Neamtz
County Municipality. The local authorities decided to make important
investments for the social, economical and cultural development
of our picturesque mountain town.
Among the new buildings there was the new residence of the library
(at No. 15, Republicii Street), an investment realised by the
Neamtz County Council in 1972 - the International Book Year
- and , as for as we know, this was the first library built
in Romania after the second world war.
In the meantime, the library has become municipal in February
1968. According to the governmental Decision no 703 / 28 th
of December1973, it became county library in March 1974.
At the same time, the scholar G.T. Kirileanu's public library
ceased its independent status (initially there were three full-time
and one part-time jobs, then remained only one full-time job;
its residence has moved in 1970 at No. 14, Stefan cel Mare Street).
Its collections have been transfered to the new residence of
the County Library and named "G.T. Kirileanu" Special Collections.
After 1989 the County Public Library has been modernized and
its spaces and services have been extended thanks to the decisions
made by the local authorities (first by Neamtz County Prefect's
Office, in November 1991, then by the Neamtz County Council
formed in 1992).
Since March 1992 the Library's name was changed after its spiritual
founder's name; G.T. Kirileanu, and the moment was commemorated
by a special church service at the memorial stone.
The consequence of all the efforts in modernization was the
enlargement of the library spaces 2.500 square meters, finalized
in 1999.
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Gheorghe Teodorescu Kirileanu
Born in Holda-Brosteni Village in the Moldavian golden Bistritza
Valley on 13-th of March 1872, G.T. Kirileanu was one of the
Brilliant graduates of "Vasile Lupu" High School (1891) and
of Faculty of Law - Iasi (1900). Spiritually he was the descendent
of his mother's father (the priest Teodor Ioanovici, called
"Priest Todica"), who adopted him in 1879 after his mother died
when his brother Simion was born.
G.T. Kirileanu's name has got two particularities: the middle
name "Teodorescu" comes from his spiritual father's name and
thanks to the scholar's passion of researching old Romanian
documents, his last name - Chirileanu - got a "K" instead of
"Chi".
Titu Maiorescu remarked and sustained him in three crucial circumstances
of his life:
* in December 1899, at the commemoration of ten years since
Ion Creanga died; still a student, he published in "Sezatoarea"
folklore magazine an article about the disappearance of the
most of great writer's manuscripts
* in autumn 1900: recently appointed a judge in Iasi, he begged
Titu Maiorescu, Minister of Justice at that time, for the favour
of being transferred at Brosteni Law Court, to have the opportunity
of working in the middle of his fellow villagers and for their
interest.
* in December 1902 - G.T. Kirileanu severely criticizes the
new edition of Ion Creanga's "Writings", realized by St. O.
Iosif and Ilarie Chendi, showing that "Creanga's work must be
let intact, as an accurate icon of his world". This fact determined
Titu Maiorescu to convince Kirileanu to be the first best publisher
of Ion Creanga's works.
By reason of several political programmes of restructuring,
G.T. Kirileanu was dismissed from his posts of judge (in April
1901) and communitiy inspector (in April 1905). He continues
his research, gathers data for a monograph on Brosteni Commune
and publishes it in 1906. Nicolae Iorga appreciated his work:
"If you have «The Description of Brosteni Rozal Estate, Suceava
County» by Mr. Gh.T. Kirileanu, it is impossible not to read
it all. You can find historical news, information about the
old and new communalhusbandry, unknown elements of language
and culture. The genius of G.T. Kirileanu's language reminds
the one of Creanga's. This monograph excels". ("Neamul Romanesc"
Magazine, 1st Year, 1906, No. 52, page 861).
Ever since student days G.T. Kirileanu has become well-known
in Brosteni and Iasi; the distinguished philologist Al Philippide
called him "a rara avis" and Louis Basset, who was King Carol
I's private secretary, considered him as "une perle noire".
In these circumstances, the Royal House naturally made him a
special offer.
On the occasion of 40 years anniversary since Carol I was the
king of Romania, Kirileanu was invited to co-ordinate the publishing
of the monographs on Royal Estates. Then Kirileanu was offered
to work in the Royal House service. First he had to resolve
the Romanian correspondence and the petitions to the sovereigns.
Then, he worked as the librarian of the Royal Court for twenty
years, between 1909 and 1930.
All his life he continually studied the Romanian cultural and
historical past; being a discret and generous scholar, he has
always been admired for his deep and serious thinking, his kindness,
modesty and his devotion only for good actions.
He was one of the first publishers of Eminescu's political works,
a passionate researcher of the Romanian folklore, constantly
encouraging the cultural events all over the country.
In recognition of all his qualities, he was appointed general
secretary of "Ferdinand I" Foundation created by the Romanian
sovereign.
His ample correspondence (about 17.000 letters) illustrates
the extent of his relations and studies. He coresponded with
very different and distinguished personalities of his time:
Titu Maiorescu, N. Iorga and Marta Bibescu, I. Simionescu, S.
Mehedinti and Constantin C. Giurescu, the kings Carol I and
Ferdinand I, Barbu Stirbey, Dimitrie Gusti and Ion I. C. Bratianu,
I. Al. Bratescu-Voinesti, Gr. Antipa and Octav Bancila, V. Bogrea,
Sextil Puscariu, George Valsan and Al. Rosetti, or Jean Boutiere,
Marcel Godet and Andrei Veress, H. Tiktin, Perpessicius, Serban
Cioculescu, Dan Simonescu and many others.
He returned to his native region and established his residence
in Piatra Neamtz in 1935, where he built a house at No 25, Stefan
cel Mare Street (today - No. 27) for himself, his library of
30.000 volumes, his brother Simion's widow and her four children.
He materially helped his nephews, too, to finish their studies.
G.T. Kirileanu died on 13-th of November 1960. Before his death
he donated to Piatra Neamtz - on 12-th of February 1956 - his
inestimable library consisting of numerous titles and volumes
of great documentary interest. We remind here only the important
bibliophile values: 240 Romanian old books (for example Varlaam's
"Cazania" ("Homiliary"), 1643), 51 foreign old books (for example
"Turcici Imperii Status" and "Republica Moscoviae et Urbes",
Amsterdam, 1630), 5 volumes of the precious collection of "The
Time" Journal (1877, 1878, 1881-1883 - when Eminescu, Slavici
and Caragiale were its editors). The value of other books is
increased by the dedications notes or autographs written by
famous personalities: B.P. Hasdeu, Alecsandri, Creanga, Ion
Bianu, Macedonski, Valsan, Marta Bibescu, Regina Maria, Iorga,
Gr. Antipa, Simion Mehedinti and many others.
G.T. Kirileanu is a honorary member of the Academy of Romania
and also a citizen of honour of Piatra Neamtz Municipality.
Our library is named "G.T. Kirileanu" Neamtz County Public Library
since 13-th of March 1992.
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